Well, I've picked it up, not much time currently to check it out fully, pics will follow, but what I can say is:
- From a distance and with less than glaring lighting, it looks almost flat black/dark brown. Only up close, does the black striped dark cherry fin really reveal itself. It is well applied, thin (you feel the pores of the maho through it) and does look chic in an understated, non-garish way.
- I'm a naive person. That is why I hoped that two knobs and a toggle would indicate: front pup and rear pup vol plus quick switch for each of them or both of them together to me. After all, even the Epi has a two way switch for front and rear pup individually (but not together).What it has turned out to be: Vol for both pups, tone for both pups and a kill switch which to me is the most useless combination. imaginable. So yes, you can only hear that bass with both pups on full ... sigh ... Herr Sixx ... Did it really have to be this way?!
- Herr Sixx also likes four keys only: E, G, A and B, hence you see his flashy red x inlays only at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 12th fret. No ninth fret marking, eat your hearts out you D flat players or learn to count!
- Has Gibson introduced a new stamp concept? The old serial number and "Made in USA" as always, but a new addition under the "Made in USA": "2008" it says
As if we didn't know from the serial no already ...
- Sound? Similar to the Zebrabird I would say, little less midish. The maple wings make for a more focused, but also less slightly lively sound than maho wings would, but I haven't done a side by side comparison yet.
- Overall, the bass with its not cheap looking mirror guard looks great and worthy as does the stunning red faux snakeskin case ("pure eighties porn" the guys in the guitar shop quipped. Of course Gibson wouldn't be Gibson if they hadn't messed up esthetic perfection via a glaringly white plastic nut where black or red plastic would have been perfect. Or would graphite be asking too much? Ah, btw: Black hardware and it doth look nice! First person that mentions "chrome" in this thread will be unceremoniously evicted from this forum and sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in the Fender one.
Uwe
